Oral annunciator



(No Model.)

J. IRELAND.

ORAL ANNUNGIATOR.

Patented Jan. 2, 1883.

715 1 19, (M2). 0am.

, Fig. 1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH IRELAND, or oLEvELANn, OHIO.

ORAL ANNUNCIATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,860, dated January2, 1853,

Application filed May 20, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, JosErH IRELAND, ofCleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Oral Annunciators,ot which the followingis a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a speaking-tube annunciatorby which any one or more rooms in abuilding may be put into instantcommunication with any other one or more rooms in the same building atthe satne time.

The invention consists of one speaking-tube leading from each of therooms of a building to some central point, and connected with anannunciator which comprises an exchange by which open com munication maybe quickly made, for the purpose of talking, between any one or morerooms with any other one or more rooms, as above stated.

The construction and arrangement of the devices for producing saidresults will be fully understood from the subjoined description indetail, when considered in connection with the accotnpanying drawings,in which- Figure l is a front or face view of my annunciator andexchange device, having a portion of the front wall removed to exposethe tubes for showing their connections. Fig. 2 is avertical section ofthe satne in line 2 2 of Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same inline3 3 ofFig. 1. Fig. 4; is a sectional view of one of the valves,which are located at the intersection of the perpendicular with thehorizontal tubes in the said exchange.

A is a box of suitable dimensions, which is to be attached to the wallof a room at convenient height, said room beinglocated atsome convenientcentral portion of a building.

Numbers 1, 2, b, 4, and 5 represent speaking-tubes leading from acorresponding tunnherof rooms. These tubes pass down through the box,and are provided with elbows at their lower ends, which pass out throughthe front of the box and terminate with mouth-pieces. Said mouth-piecesare provided with covers for closing them,which are hinged atthelowerside, the purpose of which covers is to give a. signal to the attendantby their strikingbells B B, attached to the under side of the box A. solocated that the falling of said covers will touch them and cause themto ring.

The said covers are made to fall by the force of the wind blown throughthe pipes by the caller.

T T T are horizontal tubes located close in rear of the per 'iendiculartubes, and are connected with the same by the valve-boxes D D at each ofthe crossings. The said boxes D D lie horizontally across theperpendicular tubes, with their frontends resting against the inside ofthe front wall of the box A, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. \Vithin the saidboxes D D are titted slide-valves V V, operated by means of pushrods RR, working through holes in the front wall of the box A, each rod havinga knob, upon the faces of which are made numbers corresponding with theperpendicular tubes. Said valves V have perpendicular passagesl throughthem, which, when the valves are pushed in, open the ways through thesaid perpendicular tubes, but when drawn forward close or shut off thesaid ways. The rear ends of said valves V are formed with a curvedbevel, c, which formsa communication between seen in section in upperpart of Fig. 2, when the valve is drawn forward, and which also closesthe opening to the perpendicular tube by the under surlace of the valvecovering said opening. By means of these valves the passages in thetubes are made interchangeable, tor the purpose hereinafter shown. Oneend of the horizontal tubes T T protrudes through the side of the box A,and there is provided in the said ends a whistle, to, closed with ahinged'cover, Z. The purpose of the whistle is for the person talking togiveasignal, when done talking, to theattendant.

Another form of valve can be used, consisting or a hinged gate operatedby a crank on the outside of the box A, arranged within the valve-boxfor changing the passages within said tubes; but theplan ofslide-valve'shown is preferable.

The operation of this device is as follows: Supposing occupant of room 1desires to speak with occupant of room 4, No. l signals to the exchangeby blowing through his tube. This causes cover of No. 1 mouth-piece inthe exchange to fall and ring its bell. The attendant responds by voice.No. 1 then says he wants No. 4. The attendant then withdraws uppervalves Nos. 1 and 4. This opens COl11- the perpendicular to thehorizontal tubes, as

ICC

munication between perpendicular tube 1 with 4 through the upperhorizontal tube, '1, so that the sound of No. ls voice will pass to No.4s room. Should No. I desire to speak the same message to No. 5, he cando so at the same time by having No. 5s tube put in connection in thesame manner. Now, supposing No. 2 desired to speak with No. 3 or No. 5at the same time, he signals the attendant, who immediately opens thecommunication by withdrawing the valves Nos. 2 and 3 in the secondhorizontal tube, thus putting two separate rooms in communication withtwo other separate rooms at the same time without one interfering withthe other. When persons using the device have done the attendant againpushes inward the valves, which shuts ofi the communication betweentheperpendicularaiul horizontal tubes, restoring the perpendicular tubesto their original coudition--that is,open to their mouth-pieces again.Then the device is ready for repeated use.

The object of the several counter-tubes TT is to provide for the sendingof two or more messages at one and the same time. If it be desired tosend but one message at a time, but one cross or counter tube need besupplied. Otherwise, if more than one message is required to be sent, asin large buildings, then .there should be as many cross-tubes as arelikely to be needed.

I aware that speaking-tubes have been provided with a valve connected toa bell by means of rods or levers, so that when air is blown through thetube the valve will oscillate, move the rods or levers, and cause thebell to strike. In my device the bell is so arranged that the cover ofthe speaking-tube,

when blown open, will strike the bell and give an alarm. Therefore \VhatI claim is-- 1. In an annunciator, the combination, with a speaking-tubehaving a hinged cover hinged to the lower side of the mouth of the tube,of a bell placed below the mouth of the tube, as described, so that whenthe cover is blown open the top will strike the bell.

In an annunciator, the combination, with a number of speaking-tubesplaced parallel to each other within the annunciator, of a number ofsecondary tubes placed transversely to the speaking-tubes, and havingair-passages joined to all the air-passages of said speakingtubes, andof valves arranged within thetubing, substantially as described, and forthe purpose set forth.

3. A speaking-tube pipe crossing a second pipe, and connectedtogether,substantially as shown, a sliding valve perforated to form thecontinuation of one pipe, and having an incline which serves as a switchto close one pipe and open connection with the other, all combined andarranged substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an annunciator, the combination, with a number of speaking-tubesplaced parallel to each other, of a number of secondary tubes providedwith signaling devices, and placed transversely to and connected withthe speaking-tubes, substantially in the manner show 11,

and of valves arranged within the tubing,

substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

JOSEPH IRELAND.

Witnesses:

E. W. LAIRD, GEO. W. TIBBI'ITS.

